Visioning Charrette

Museumvisioning of the charrette Americas February 9, 2001 conducted by with LORD CULTURAL RESOURCES Museumtable of of contentsthe Americas Page 3 Introduction 15 Visioning Charrette Minutes Workshop #1 Introduction 5 Executive Summary Workshop #2 Purpose Charrette Overview Workshop #3 People and Place Purpose Workshop #4 Experience People and Place Workshop #5 Cultural Resources Experience Workshop #6 Vision Cultural Resources Next Steps Vision Next Steps 34 Appendix Visioning Charrette Attendees 11 Vision, Mission, and Mandate Upon Reflection Cards Background Definitions Guiding Idea Draft Foundation Statements 1 2 launched the planning process for the Museum of the Americas. On December 19th, 2000 experts from a vast ar- ray of disciplines gathered to initiate the realiza- tion of the museum. A Visioning Charrette was held at the Washington, D.C. offices of HNTB Museum of the Americas Architects at 421 7th Street, Northwest. The Or- ganization of American States, Inter-American Development Bank, Museum of the Americas Foundation, Museum Board of Directors, cultural introduction institutions, the National Capital Planning Com- mission, cultural experts, and potential financial partners participated in this daylong gathering. For millennia, the Western Hemisphere has been Through a series of workshops, this meeting home to a multitude of peoples and civilizations sought to identify, generate, and examine ideas rich with culture. However, these cultures have about the museum. long been underrepresented in mainstream cultural institutions. Washington, DC, a center of This document represents the input and insight cultural education, does not dedicate a museum gathered from the Visioning Charrette. The in- to the Americas. The vastness of the Western formation to follow is an account of the growth Hemisphere provides room for many stories to of the museum vision. Individual impressions be told; however, many go untold. While richly recorded on reflection cards from the visioning diverse, these cultures also share inherent com- session represent the very roots of the realiza- monalties. It is a belief by many that our Hemi- tion process. Establishing a context for these sphere is in need of a place to express our cul- ideas, the meeting minutes are a sequential ac- tures collectively. count of the day’s development. The executive summary draws the themes of the meeting to- The Museum of Americas Foundation was es- gether. Finally, the drafts of the vision, mission, tablished to bring to life the vision of a museum and mandate seek to provide a direction for sub- representing the Western Hemisphere. In spring sequent phases of this project. of 2001, the Foundation will also open Muse Experience Americas, the virtual predecessor of the physical museum. Subsequent to substantial comple- regions vs nations tion of Muse Americas, the Foundation has 3 what doExperience we see 4 a six-year period. The charrette is the kick-off to the Master Plan Phase, which will last approxi- mately seven months. Building design, exhibit design, construction, comissioning, and exhibit installation are the key activities to follow. The charrette was organized into a series of work- Museum of the Americas shops designed to explore and elicit ideas that will help formulate the museum concept and com- pose the vision, mission, and mandate. The workshops were entitled Purpose, People and Place, Experience, Cultural Resources, and Vision. executive summary Supplementing these workshops were break-out groups and an opportunity for each participant CHARRETTE OVERVIEW to record their individual reflections. The charette concluded with remarks by Lucy Duncan and The Visioning Charrette began with introductions Greg Powe. by Lucy Duncan of the Museum of the Americas Foundation, and Ronald L. Scheman of the Or- ganization of American States. Ms. Duncan de- PURPOSE scribed the opportunity, excitement, and respon- sibility that this challenging undertaking repre- Why undertake this endeavor of building a new sents. She also provided a brief synopsis of Muse museum dedicated to the Americas? Supple- Americas, the virtual predecessor of the bricks mented by a series of images, this question asked and mortar museum. The on-line museum will by Roxanne Williams, Design Principal at HNTB, open in spring of 2001, coincident with the OAS elicited dynamic and spirited dialogue. The need summit in April. Mr. Scheman gave a brief his- for cultural representation of the Americas is un- tory of the project to date, including the incep- deniable. Without such representation, the many tion of the museum and the tremendous educa- cultures of the Western Hemisphere lack a uni- tional potential intrinsic to this project. fied voice in their own story and history telling. For centuries, Western Hemispheric history has Mark Erdly and Greg Powe of HNTB, provided a been presented in terms of Euro-centric percep- brief overview of the project process and sched- Purpose tions. However, the western continents were rich ule. The project is currently in the beginning in history and civilizations before the European inspire phases of a schedule that is likely to extend over conquest. The story of the migrations of people 5 across unpopulated continents, is one in need the occasion to learn from the past, the develop- of a truthful recount. Although the Western ment of improved cultural relations, and the Hemisphere is full of diversity and different reattribution of cultural authorship in the Western cultures, the people of the Americas share com- Hemisphere. The group discussed how some of monalities that should also be celebrated. The these accomplishments should be made possible, longitudinal unfolding of history in the West- thus helping to define the new museum’s purpose. ern Hemisphere inextricably links these cultures The museum should project themes of hope and together, as does their shared geography and truth in exhibitions that are inclusive of all the natural resources. Americas. In order to attain inclusiveness, it will be necessary to represent the truth from several Having established the need for cultural rep- perspectives, therefore enabling the museum to resentation of the Americas, the charrette group celebrate and communicate with the many unique discussed the construction of a new museum identities of the Western Hemisphere. by evaluating the importance of physical place. By providing a sacred site for the integration of the many cultures of the Western Hemi- PEOPLE AND PLACE sphere, their stories can be told with powerful, experiential impact. Confronting the visitor Introduced earlier in the charrette, Muse Ameri- with not only artifacts and relics of the cultures cas plays in important role in defining the of the Americas, but also the sounds, smells, museum’s relationship with people and place. foods, and live performances found in the The unique location of the new museum will en- Western Hemisphere, a lasting impression with able it to become accessible to many people. a reinforced relevance will be made. This dy- However, the website broadens the reach of the namic environment will enable the museum to museum’s purpose exponentially, as well as en- reeducate the public through history, the hances the purpose itself. While it is expected present, and also the future. Through such an that they will operate independently, the physical interactive approach to museum exhibition, the museum and the website are both symbiotic and space will develop a sense of belonging for complimentary. The Museum of the Americas the visitor. predecessor, Muse Americas will provide end- less opportunities of outreach to those otherwise Furthermore, the opportunities afforded by the unable to travel and experience the museum. On- Museum of the Americas will be invaluable. line exhibits and galleries, links to other muse- Many aspects concerning the culture of the ums, forums for cultural exchange, interactive plat- People & Place Americas will benefit from the new museum forms, and a Muse marketplace will all promote including the motivation of scholarly research, instant access to the cultures of the Western Hemi- the neighbors 6 evolution calls for museum collections and the spaces they occupy to be flexible. Identifying the museum stakeholders, the people who are critical cultural and financial contributors, as well as those who hold an interest in the museum or an investment in a cultural memory will be an- other challenge. It is to this group of stakehold- Museum of the Americas ers that the museum must be responsive. The Museum of the Americas must also be con- scious of its surrounding physical site. Neigh- executive summary boring entities include the Washington Monument, the White House, the Simón Bolívar Statue, Con- stitution Hall, and the historic OAS building it- sphere and encourage global connections. self. The powerful symbolism of the neighbor- hood and of Washington DC provides the op- The actual physical site of the museum will also portunity to incorporate some of its magic into be advantageous to drawing visitors. Located the vision of the project. However, the group on the OAS headquarters property, the site will also identified some shortcomings of the site. Its benefit from its proximity to the cultural hub of relatively small size may impose limitations on Washington, DC, the National Mall. Addition- the museum and its program. Additionally, the ally, the number of museum visitors, as well as location within Washington, DC poses the prob- DC tourism in general, has increased dramati- lem of interpreting the museum as American rather cally in recent years. Attendance varies widely than Hemispheric. The museum should be uni- in Washington museums, ranging from the tens versal, a place distinct from the U.S. and Wash- of thousands at some institutions to ten million ington, DC, reinforcing its independence from a annually at others. Thus, attendance projections place perceived by many to symbolize cultural are one of the major planning challenges for the hegemony. However, as an international orga- museum. Contributing to this challenge is the nization representing all of the American mem- wide range of types of visitors.

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